Gastrointestinal responses to graded levels of cellulose feeding in conventional and germ-free mice.

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Abstract
Conventional (CV) and germ-free (GF) mice were fed a semi-synthetic diet containing graded levels of cellulose (0, 5, 15 and 30%); the length and wet weight of intestine, the morphology of mid-jejunum epithelium and the turonver of mid-jejunum epithelial cells were determined. Enlarged stomachs were observed in CV mice fed a non-cellulose or 30% cellulose diet, but there were no differences found among the 4 dietary groups in GF mice. No effect of intestinal bacteria was observed with regard to cecum weight, since the responses of cecum wet weight to the graded cellulose intake in CV mice were similar to those in GF mice. The responses of intestine length to graded cellulose intake differed between CV and GF mice; intestinal bacteria may modify the length of intestine. Marked differences were observed in the responses of villus length to graded levels of cellulose between CV and GF mice. In CV mice there was a gradual increase in villus length as cellulose content increased; in GF mice there was a marked decrease in villus length. In the CV mice, graded levels of dietary cellulose had no effect on the epithelial cell turnover. In the GF mice the greater the amount of dietary cellulose, the faster the turnover rate becomes. Dietary cellulose apparently would enhance the turnover rates of jejunal epithelial cells in the absence of intestinal bacteria.